Version 1.4 rev 24 Apr 2019
34
IKon-M
APPENDIX C: DEWPOINT INFORMATION
To avoid issues with condensation, the coolant temperature must be set above the dewpoint- the temperature at which
condensation (dew) will form. In the relatively dry conditions of an air conditioned lab, or a cool dry climate, use of a
coolant temperature of 10
°
C should not cause any problems. As relative humidity or ambient temperature increase
however, the dewpoint temperature will also increase so that the minimum coolant temperature that can be used will
have to increase accordingly. This will therefore limit the maximum cooling performance that can be achieved.
The first signs that condensation is forming will be on the coolant connections entering and exiting the camera. Use of
coolant at or below the dewpoint can result in permanent damage to the camera head due to formation of condensation
on internal components. It is therefore very important to ensure that coolant temperature is above the dewpoint.
Further guidelines are provided in
Section 7.1
. The relationship between Relative Humidity and Dew Point at varying
Ambient Temperature is shown below. There are also a range of dewpoint calculators on-line that you can enter ambient
temperature and relative humidity to calculate the dewpoint for your conditions.
Vacuum
Heat
Removal
CCD
TE Cooler
Permanent
All-metal Seal
Window
(Anti-reflection
Coated)
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Rel
at
iv
e H
um
id
ity
(%
)
Dew Point (°C)
68% humidity at 30°C
ambient temperature:
dewpoint is ~23°C
Ambient Temperature
20
°C
22
°C
24
°C
26
°C
28
°C
30
°C